In his 18th NFL season at age 40, Joe Flacco is balancing a late-career revival with personal sacrifice as he leads the Cincinnati Bengals in Joe Burrow’s absence. As Burrow recovers from surgery to repair a Grade 3 turf toe injury sustained in Week 2, Flacco has taken charge under center.
Since joining Cincinnati in a trade from the Cleveland Browns just over two weeks ago, Flacco has thrown for 561 yards, five touchdowns, and zero interceptions in his first two starts, leading the team to a 1–1 record. His 33–31 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 7, where he passed for 342 yards only ten days after signing, demonstrated how quickly he has adapted to Zac Taylor’s offense. His performance has also placed him among the top half of NFL quarterbacks in EPA (Expected Points Added) metrics.
On Wednesday, the veteran quarterback addressed leaving his family to play for the Bengals. With his wife and five children still living in New Jersey, he’s spent the past few weeks alone in Cincinnati. It can feel isolating, but it has its advantages.
“It's trying to find ways to maybe stay over here a little bit longer, and then, you know, just kind of take myself out of that mindset, call home, go sit at a restaurant by myself and realize that man, that's pretty enjoyable to do,” Flacco said. “I used to see guys sitting at a bar by themselves, or just sitting by themselves, eating and grabbing a little meal. And I'm like, ‘Man, I feel so bad for that guy.' Like, you almost want to go join them. Now I realize, like, that dude was in heaven. And not to say I'd rather not be at home sitting at the dinner table with my kids and hearing what the hell they were talking about all day. But if you have to do it, then you might as well take advantage of it.”
"I used to see guys sitting at the bar by themselves eating and I used to feel so bad for them and now I realize that dude was in heaven."
Not many of us can relate with being on a new team, in a new city, without our family, but many of us can relate to this. pic.twitter.com/FhSgSe6Jd8
— Joe Danneman (@FOX19Joe) October 22, 2025
Although he did reveal his family plans to visit when the 3-4 Bengals host the New York Jets in Week 8 on Sunday, the team he once played for from 2020 to 2022, where he went 1–8 as a starter.
Flacco’s quick integration into Cincinnati's system has impressed the coaching staff. Offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher, 38, joked about coaching someone older than himself and praised Flacco’s depth of experience. Flacco’s presence has provided stability on offense as Burrow works toward a Week 15 or 16 return.
There’s a significant monetary upside to Flacco reclaiming a starting role. His one-year, $4.2 million contract includes up to $9 million in incentives, such as $75,000 bonuses for wins in which he plays at least 50% of snaps (beginning after his fourth qualifying victory) and performance-based payouts up to $3 million. If he plays over 80% of the team’s offensive snaps and the Bengals make the playoffs, those bonuses could double, potentially adding more than $1.5 million to his earnings.
